When we first decided to move to Turkey we (of course) received a ton of different opinions, ideas, and advice from all of our loved ones. Only a few of these people were able to speak from experience, having actually been to Turkey themselves. A friend and mother of one of the students in my class (Hi Jen!) HIGHLY recommended visiting a Turkish Bath (hell-of-a deal and super cool experience) but she advised that we claim to be wearing contacts to avoid having OUR EYEBALLS SCRUBBED. Whaaat? Later we were chatting with our Big Boss (Hi Rick) who had some sort of PTSD Flashback when we mentioned our interest in the Hamams (Turkish Baths). He described it as the most horrifying experience of his life, where he was required to sit naked on an enormous marble "throne" while a sumo-wrestler sized man scrubbed him EVERYWHERE with a Brillo-pad. By this time Alan was moving "Hamam" onto the list of activities-Erin-will-do-alone, and I was thinking "Whoa." But mostly "Heck yeah. That sounds like AWESOME blogging fodder."
So here we are. Turkish Hamams...
*Note all of these pictures are Googled. None of them are of me. Cause that would be awkward.
Most Hamams involve many different steps and many different rooms, and most are all inclusive. You start in a sauna, then move to a "shock shower" (shocking in that it's COLD), or a cool salt room (where you sit in salt, scrub it on your skin (exfoliating?). Maybe a mud bath next, another shock shower, and then into the steam room. Once you're all hot, sweaty, and disgusting feeling, you move into what I'll call the cleaning room (and PROMISE to detail later), and finally into an hour long full body massage and facial. When your treatments are complete you are more than welcome to hang out by the pool as long as you like. And drink all the free tea and water you can. Even without ever staying to lounge by the pool, I have always stayed at least 3 hours from start to finish.
I know what you're thinking "How rich is she?" Well pretty rich in Turkey maybe, but you don't need to be to visit the Hamam on a regular basis. All of this loveliness totals about $30. Did you just fall out of your chair? I thought you might have.
So let me go back and tell you about the cleaning room. This is the room that both Rick and Jen warned us about. And it's my favourite place. So far no eyeball scrubbing, or PTSD, but it definitely doesn't disappoint.
*Note 2: Wear a bathing suit! I really almost went naked because I thought you were supposed to. Thank God for Zeynep, cause that would have been so embarrassing. Apparently it's clothing optional but the people who go naked are mostly slutty tourists (Rick).
The cleaning room is made completely of marble, the walls are lined with multiple marble sinks, and in the center of the room is a HUGE heated marble platform. You lay on the platform while someone scrubs the heck out of you with a coarse cloth. And Rick was right about this part. They scrub EVERYWHERE. I'm often left thinking That's OK. I can clean there. In my own shower. By myself. (Insert the aforementioned inappropriate touching.) That being said, I still LOVE this place, because next is "Bubble Time," and "Bubble Time" is so good, it washes away all of my discomfort. Check out the picture. See all the bubbles? They're made by magic. (A magical pillow case dipped in sudsy water, blown up like a balloon, and puffed magically all over me.) It's like being in heaven.
Also it's like when I was a little girl, and I used to take bubble baths with my sister. These baths involved me making her give me ALL of the bubbles to make a bubble crown and a bubble castle and a bubble beard out of. Because I was the "Bubble Queen." (Bubbles even make beards beautiful.) Naturally, because Emily was younger, and only the "Bubble Princess" she didn't get ANY of the bubbles. Not until she out aged me. Sucker. But guess what Emily?! In "Bubble Time" at the Hamam, EVERYONE gets to be the "Bubble Queen."
Mix all of this sudsy fun with a little bit of slip-in-slide action (cause why not?) and some shiatsu style bubble popping and we're almost done. When she's done lathering it's hair washing and rinse off time. Which she does for you. Exactly like your Grandmother would. When you were three.
Ahhhh.... Yesterday was a surprise day off for us, due to heavy rains. I got to spend a lovely day relaxing at the Hamam with my dear friend Zeynep, instead of teaching 7 classes. How lucky.
All in all this activity ranks high on my list of things you should do when you come visit us. Except not you Diana. This would kill you.
So here we are. Turkish Hamams...
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| What Hamams looked like back in the day. Apparently. |
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| What Hamams look like today. |
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| NOT how to behave at a Hamam. Way to look creepy, Kate Moss. |
*Note all of these pictures are Googled. None of them are of me. Cause that would be awkward.
Most Hamams involve many different steps and many different rooms, and most are all inclusive. You start in a sauna, then move to a "shock shower" (shocking in that it's COLD), or a cool salt room (where you sit in salt, scrub it on your skin (exfoliating?). Maybe a mud bath next, another shock shower, and then into the steam room. Once you're all hot, sweaty, and disgusting feeling, you move into what I'll call the cleaning room (and PROMISE to detail later), and finally into an hour long full body massage and facial. When your treatments are complete you are more than welcome to hang out by the pool as long as you like. And drink all the free tea and water you can. Even without ever staying to lounge by the pool, I have always stayed at least 3 hours from start to finish.
I know what you're thinking "How rich is she?" Well pretty rich in Turkey maybe, but you don't need to be to visit the Hamam on a regular basis. All of this loveliness totals about $30. Did you just fall out of your chair? I thought you might have.
So let me go back and tell you about the cleaning room. This is the room that both Rick and Jen warned us about. And it's my favourite place. So far no eyeball scrubbing, or PTSD, but it definitely doesn't disappoint.
*Note 2: Wear a bathing suit! I really almost went naked because I thought you were supposed to. Thank God for Zeynep, cause that would have been so embarrassing. Apparently it's clothing optional but the people who go naked are mostly slutty tourists (Rick).
The cleaning room is made completely of marble, the walls are lined with multiple marble sinks, and in the center of the room is a HUGE heated marble platform. You lay on the platform while someone scrubs the heck out of you with a coarse cloth. And Rick was right about this part. They scrub EVERYWHERE. I'm often left thinking That's OK. I can clean there. In my own shower. By myself. (Insert the aforementioned inappropriate touching.) That being said, I still LOVE this place, because next is "Bubble Time," and "Bubble Time" is so good, it washes away all of my discomfort. Check out the picture. See all the bubbles? They're made by magic. (A magical pillow case dipped in sudsy water, blown up like a balloon, and puffed magically all over me.) It's like being in heaven.
 |
| Bubble Time |
Also it's like when I was a little girl, and I used to take bubble baths with my sister. These baths involved me making her give me ALL of the bubbles to make a bubble crown and a bubble castle and a bubble beard out of. Because I was the "Bubble Queen." (Bubbles even make beards beautiful.) Naturally, because Emily was younger, and only the "Bubble Princess" she didn't get ANY of the bubbles. Not until she out aged me. Sucker. But guess what Emily?! In "Bubble Time" at the Hamam, EVERYONE gets to be the "Bubble Queen."
Mix all of this sudsy fun with a little bit of slip-in-slide action (cause why not?) and some shiatsu style bubble popping and we're almost done. When she's done lathering it's hair washing and rinse off time. Which she does for you. Exactly like your Grandmother would. When you were three.
Ahhhh.... Yesterday was a surprise day off for us, due to heavy rains. I got to spend a lovely day relaxing at the Hamam with my dear friend Zeynep, instead of teaching 7 classes. How lucky.
All in all this activity ranks high on my list of things you should do when you come visit us. Except not you Diana. This would kill you.
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Amazing. Can I put this on my Turkey "to-experience" list? Glad you both had a major rainstorm that cancelled the school day!!
ReplyDeleteIt really does sound like a relaxing and memorable way to spend an afternoon.
ReplyDelete